Resilient wheel equipment.



J. S. WILLIAMS. RESILIENTVWHEEL EQUIPMENT. APPLlcAnoN FILED Deca. |909.RENEWED MAY 27, 191s Patented Jan. 7, 1919.

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Pamemtd Jan. 7, 1919.

I. S. WILLIAMS. RESILIENT WHEEL EQUIPMENT. APPLIcATIoN FILED uws. 1909.RENEWED MAY 21. ma

WITNESSES giftw- Lacona.

l JOSEPH S. WILLIAMS, 0F PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVIA.

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Specification oi Letters Patent.

Application ledl December 8, 1999, Serial No. 532,043. Renewed. May 27,19.18.'. Serial No. 236,92?.

To all whom t may concern.'

Be it known that I, @IosnPH S. WILLIAMS," a citizenof the United States,residing in` Philadelphia, Philadelphia county, State of Pennsylvania,have invented a new Aand useful Resilient Wheel Equipment.

One of the objects of my invention is to devise a resilient wheelequipment provided with a solid cushion content in which a mobile insertmay beused, but in which, in the absence of the insert, the deflectionunder normal load corresponds substantially to thatwhen the mobileinsert is in place.

Withthe above andother objects in Viewv which will more clearly appearin the detailed descri tion, my invention consists of a novel resillentwheel equipment.

It further consists of other novel features of construction, all aswillbehereinafter fully set forth. v

For the purpose of illustrating myA invention, I have shown hereincertain embodi-y ments thereof which inpractice will give Vetsatisfactory and reliable. results, although it is of courseto beunderstood that the various instrumentalities of which my inventicn'consists can be variously arranged and organized and my inventionis not limited to the exactarrangement and organization of theseinstrumentalities as herein set forth.

of my invention having provision against excessive collapse.

Figs. 6 and 7 represent circumferential sections of the structures seenin Figs. 4 and 5 respectively upon lines --t'and 7-7 of thesegures. l

another embodiment of'my invention.

Fig. 9 represents a circumferential seetion upon line 9-9 of Fig. 8.

Figs. 10, 11 and 12 represent transverse sections of other embodimentsof my invention.

Figs. 13,14 and 15 represent circumferential sections of Figs. 10, 11and 12 upon lines 13-13, 14--14 and 15-15, respectively. Figs. 16, 17and 18 represent transverse and Fig. 8 represents .a transverse sectionof' sections of other embodiments of my inventlon.

Similar numerals of reference indicate corresponding parts in thefigures.'

Referring to the drawings Referring first to Fig. 1, 25 designates atire conforming in contour to the conventional tires now in use, butprovided with circumferential gripping4 grooves and beads 26, divided at27 to permit the' insertion of an inner tube 28 and engaged by rings 29and 30 to compress them within the space between the flanges 31 and 32so that the tire seating parts will be compressed and firmly held to therimindependently of the inflation or deation of the tire. 'Ihe chamberof the tire formed by the outer part 25 is equipped with an annularmember 27"and a compressible core 272 arranged so as to vcushion theload on the construction throughout the width of the core construe tion.27 3 designates a Huid pressure-retainer which is transversely disposedand adapted to receive Huid, viscous, mobile, or elastic material underpressure so as to compress the member 272 radially both inwardly andoutwardly.

33 designates .a rimA member which engages the flange 34 to retain theparts in as sembled position and the construction shown corresponds tothe Marsh type of rim.

In the embodiment seen in Fig. 2, 35 designates a treadwhich isconnected 'by the parts 36 and 37 with a backing 38, which latter may bedivided as at 39, or may form an annular insert by dividing the same onthe lines 40 and 41 so that the tire seating may be closed and securelyclamped between the annular clamping members 42 and 43` which arepreferably provided with extensions 44 and 45. rIhe members 42 and 43are retained 'rammed aan. t, iam.

in osition by the Hangs 31, flange 34 and loc ing ring 32 in asimllarinanner to that shown in Fig. 1.

Referring now to the embodiment seen 1n Fig. 3, the construction iselliptical in cross section as in Fig. 2, and an annular reinforcingplate 46 is attached or tted to `an annular transversely divided' ring47,

which can be inserted or withdrawn from position by opening the edges ofthe tire when the same is disengaged from the clamps 48 and 49 whichhold such edges and seating under compression.

50 and 51 designate reinforcements which MBI . protect the edges anddistribute vthe pres-` sure. The members 48 and 49, in the presentinstance, have a tongue and groove connection 52 and engage with eachother by interlocking parts 53.

Referrmg next t0 the embodiment seen 1 n Figs. 4y to 7, inclusive, theconstruction 1s shown provided with a transversely elongated chamber 54having relatively largeA radii of curvature at its extreme transverselimits and provided lWith cushions 55 and 56. Gushion 55 is made up of aplurality oftransversely extending ribs 57. 58 and 59 designatetransversely split rin s which engage the tire within the channe formedby the flanges 58 and v59', respectively, and secured to and removedfrom the tire by springing the rings into place. The ring 58 has anoutwardly extending part 60 engaging Within a corresponding seating parton the inner face of the tire.

61 designates reinforcing members, and in the form shown in Figs. 5 and7, an annular reinforcement 62 is arranged across the face of the tireto reinforce the tread against expansion and irregular depression andcollapse in case of deflation, so that such portion is properlystiffened to maintain the same in engagement With a detachalble tread 63provided With stiffening members 64, which are also shown in Figs. 4 and6. Within the tire annular grooves are provided Which interlock Withcorresponding ribs and areheld in place by an annularY reinforcement 66.

G7 designates corrugations Which prevent creeping of the tread Withrespect to the tire.

In the embodiment seen in Figs. 8 and 9, a detachable tread 67 isprovided With interlocking portions and reinforcements by means ofannular binding strips, and I employ a combination of fluid mobile, orelastic material 68 provided if desired with a illing 69 of cushioningmaterial reinforced to any desired capacity. The cushioning member69 andthe cham'ber 68 have different depths on radial lines, as seen in Fig.9. The lines 69 show the flattening of the tread in progressive stagesof one-eighth to threeeighths of an inch, the latter representing a fullflat tread three inches in Width and about twenty-one inches of roadcontact with a mobile or elastic pressure of eighty pounds per squareinch in the space 68, it being understood that the fluid pressurestandard ma vary as desired.

nnular bands 71 may be employed for supporting the tire in engagementWith the rim attachment, as seen most clearly in Fig. 5.

The chamber which receives the fluid or mobile pressure may be inwardlyor outwardly of the cushioning material, and in Figs. 10 and 13, thischamber is shown outwardly of the cushion 74, While in Figs. 11

and 14 the chamber 75 is inwardly of the elastic medium 76, and in Figs.12 and 15 the chamber 77 is located between two layers` of elasticmedium 78 and 79. The walls of the chambers 73, 75 and 77 representfluid tight inflatable members and under normal conditions, prior toinflation, the cushioning member closes the chamber almost entirely Withprovision being made for fluid or inobile material being forced therein,as Will be clearly understood by reference to Figs. 8, 9, 13, 14 and 15without further detailed description. l

80 designates a conventional type of valve mechanism for the inflationand deflation of the inner tube and the valve tube is made, in thepresent instance, in two parts, joined at 81 so that the inner part 82which carries the check valve and lies Within the tire itself may beleft in such position, While the eX- tension 83 is removed when occasionarises for such removal.

In Figs. 10, 11 and 12, the construction of Figs. 13, 14 and 15 is shownin deflated condition, except that a slight showing of a chamber is madein each case, to point out the line of separation between the surfacesWithin Iwhich the fluid is located, while in Figs. 13, 14 an-d 15 theconstruction isshown under inflation. It will be seen that in accordanceWithl my present invention the tread portion of the resilient 'bodywhich forms the tire lies Within a circle formed by the radius ofone-half 0f the major transverse axis of the tire and in all theembodiments of my invention I provide an annular transversely elongatedcushion which is Wholly or partially surrounded by tensilereinforcements forming a tension belt extending transversely inlflattened formation across the outer periphery of the cushion withcurvatures at the sides and the seating parts of the tire which latterare secured near the inner support and lrendered inextensible at suchpoint. The tensile rein- -forcements serve to form the transverselyelongatedv annular core space which is bisected by the major transverseaxis of the tire. The core is of elastic material of solid nature andsubstantially fills the core space and is preferably provided With aspace for clearance which may be filled With mobile material orflattened under pressure. By my construction substantially normal for-'mation of the tire is maintained under load bothwith and Without theuse of-luid under pressure.

The compressible and resilient core is made up of a series of layerscomprising the compressible core material proper 84 and intermediatelayers 85, 85 and 852 of ber, cotton or other suitable strengtheningmaterial, the idea bein to stifl'en and support the main compressi lecore material against torsion and lateral spreading. In Fig. 12

formity of compressive siliency which is pneumatic tires.

maceta l also show reinforcing means 62 of annular reinforcing elements.member 86 in Fig. 12 may be secured to or independent of the annular rin87 and forms a filler between the extremities 8.8 and 89 of the tire,and the split ring 87 performs a similar function -since one or Iboth ofthe memlbers 86 and |87 aord a circumferential grip against which theextremities 88 and 89 may be clamped in any desired manner. l90 and 91designate clamping rings'which exert compressive stra'in on theextremities 88 and 89, while the split ring 87 distengls the member 86and the tire and compresses the seating thereof.

ln the embodiment seen in Figs. 17, the shoes 92 and 93 are bothremovable. The annular tire seating and dem'ountable members 94 and 95are transversely split to provide for expansion on the rim. 'ln theembodiments shown in Figs. 16 to 18, l have shown stratifications 853 toprovide for transversesupport of the resilient material of the core.'

The embodiments seen in Figs. 17 and 18 may if desired be divided onlines 27 so that the cushioning core may be inserted and removed." -Amember 95can be provided having an outward projection seatingon themember 46, seen in Fig. 16, and united therewith by radial bolts shownso that such parts are firmly gripped and held under compression. Y Myinvention provides an annular tire construction of various widths withflat, or

relatively flat cushioning support in transverse section composed ofresilient solid material having definite standards of radialcompressibility, with or without mobile material, and located withincircumferentially inextensible outer parts, so that a practicallyuniform area of distributed support will be obtained. The transverselyarranged cushioning parts maintain substantially constant wheeldiameter, with or without fluid content, and the fluid content isemployed to se cure uniform distributive support and unistrains within aradial range not greatly exceeding a depth of normal tread deflection.

.My construction'is preferably inextensible in both the rim belt and theouter .belt of the construction. The belt of relatively soft cushioningmaterial between the inextensible fields thus formed providesa'vsubstantially constant standard of resilient support for the load tobe carried with a ran e of resilient altitude of approximately t ree.-eighths of an i ch which fully equals. the

distributive tread support along the planes of road contact and thealtitude of reobtained with the ordinary The transversely disposed beltof fluid'content in the transversevplanes of 'the construction betweenthe inner and consisting i The ller i 16 and I l advantage enumerated asdesirable in the statement of the invention and the foregoingdescriptionbut it is to be understood that various changes may be madeand still be within the spirit and scope of my invention.

Having thus described my invention, what ll claim as new and desire tosecure by Letl ters Patent, is

1. A tire, comprising an annular transversely elongated resilient bodyhaving an annular transverselyl elongated cushion with Huid underpressure in it,-'the volume of solidl material of the cushion exceedingthe volume of the fluid under pressure, a tension belt confining theouter periphery and sides of the cushion and having its outer peripheryin flattened arch formation, and an y annular support connected with theseating parts of the tension belt.

2. A tire, comprising an annular transversely elongated body having anannular elastic cushion of solid material transversely elongated andsubstantially equally distributed on opposite sides of vthe majortransverse axis of the body and provided with an annular` transverselyelongated space, an annular transversely elongated tension, belt in'flattened formation at its outer periphery and extending with curvaturesat its sides around the sides of the cushion, and means to. render theseating parts of the body circumferentially inextensible. y

3. A tire, comprising an annular transversely elongated body having anannular elastic cushion of layers of fabric and tially equallydistributed on opposite sides of the major transverse axis of the bodyVand provided with an annular transversely elongated space, an annulartransversely 115 elongated circumferentially inextensibletension belt inflattened lformation at its outer periphery and extending withcurvatures support, an annular'and transversely elongated tension belthaving flattened formation in spaced relationship about saidsup- 125 lport, and a'yielding flexible cushionbetween said support and tensionbelt, said tension belt ,and cushion providing definite ranges ofresilient movements and non-collapsible resilient support underload'about said in-, 130' rubber'transversely elongated and substan'-ner support and ranges of resilient movements radially of.,`approximately threeeighthsofan inch altitude of tread deflection alongthe plane of road.

5. A resilient tire, comprising an inner support, an annular andtransversely elongated tension belt having flattened formation in spacedrelationship about said support with curvatures about the sides to saidinner support, and a yielding iexible cushion, said tension belt andcushion providing definite ranges of resilientmovements andnon-collapsible resilient support under load about said inner supportand ranges of resilient movements radially of approximatelythree-eighths of an inch altitude of tread deflection along the plane ofroad.

' 6. A resilient tire, comprising an inner support, an annular andtransversely elongated tension lbelt having flattened formation inspaced relationship about said supi port, and a yielding fiexiblecushion between said support and tension belt, said tension belt andcushion providing definite ranges of resilient movements andnon-collapsible resilient support under load about said inner supportand ranges of resilient movements radially of approximately threeeighthsof an inch altitude; of tread deflecltion along the plane of road, andmeans to vary the tension of said support and cushion about saidsupport.

7. A resilient tire, comprising an inner support, an annular andtransversely elongated tension belt-having iattened formation in spacedrelationship about said support, and a yielding iexiblecushion betweensaid support and tension belt, said tension belt and cushion providingdefinite ran es of resilient movements and' non-collapsi le resilientsupport under load about said inner su port and ranges of resilientmovements ra ally of approximately three-eighths of an inch altitude oftread deflection along the plane of road, and means in said tirebetweensaid support and belt to receive and confine mobile contents underpressure.

8. A tire, comprising an annular, transversely elongated resilient bodyhaving its tread portion lying'within a circle formed by 'a radius ofone-half the major transverse axis of the tire, and having tensilereinforcements located on opposite sides of such axis and extendingtransversely of the tire in flattened formation across the median linewith curvatures at the sides extending toinner peripheral seating parts,in combination with yielding flexible means to support, with or withoutinflation, the tensile reinforcements and tread in resilientftspaced,and

' non-collapsible load supporting relationship about said seating parts.

-with yielding flexible means to support, with or without inflation, thetensile reinforcements. and tread in resilient, spaced, andnon-collapsible load supporting relationship about said seating partsand so as to provide definite ranges of resilient movements radially andalong the plane of road Contact of the tire.

10. A resilient tire, comprising an inner support, an annularly andtransversely disposed tension belt, a tread outwardly of said tensionbelt in spaced relationship about said support, a yielding, iiexiblecushion, a fluid-tight portion providing clearance space for resilientmovements of said belt and cushion, and mobile contents under pressurein said space, said tension belt and cushion providing non-collapsibleresilient support and definite ranges of resilient movements about saidinner support and along the'plane of road contact with slight variationsin ranges of resilient altitude with and without mobile contents underpressure.

11. A resilient tire, comprising an inner support, an annularly andtransversely d1sposed tension belt extending with curvatures about thesides to said inner support, a tread outwardly of said tension belt inspaced relationship about said support, a yieldmg, flexible cushion, afluid-tight portlon providing clearance space for resillent -movementsof said belt and cushion, and mobile contents under pressure in saidspace, said tension beltA and cushion providing non-collapsibleresilient support and definite ranges i of resilient movements aboutsaid inner support and along the plane (of road contact with slightvariations in ranges of resilient altitude with and without mobilecontents under pressure. p

. 12. A tire, comprising an inner su port,

an annular and transversely dispose tension member with curvatures aboutthe sides to said inner support, and means to malntaln said member intension and in spaced non-col-

